Being the leader of the political opposition in Zimbabwe is perhaps the toughest job in African politics.

But Morgan Tsvangirai's position has never been quite as bad at it is today.

Arrested twice in March, he was severely beaten by police under direct orders from the President, Robert Mugabe.

Help or support from other African nations appears to be totally lacking; at a recent meeting of Southern African Heads of State in Tanzania President Mugabe again received the backing of his peers, which came as a blow to the MDC.